Victim Blaming

With my birthday being this past Monday, and me turning another year older, I'd like to think some positives have come with another year of experiences.  But you can never tell right away.  Like many things in life, these things take time.  But one thing that has come with me being another year older is my awareness of what's going on in the world.  Lately, it seems like everyday there is something going on in the news about something happening to a person, like the woman who died posting a Facebook status while driving, or people committing a crime that they expect people to sympathize with.  It's something that I've thought about more since in my summer classes, they've repeatedly asked if we should blame the victim, which is a slippery slope in itself because if I've learned anything, it's that society blames the victim too much and doesn't focus enough on the offender.  But to leave out any blame for the victim would be ignorant, so it's something that I've thought long and hard about.

After reviewing everything over, I do believe that victims deserve some of the blame for their actions if they live a lifestyle that is high risk or just do something stupid.  For example, if they drink or party constantly, I won't feel sorry for them if something bad happens to them.  Even the woman who died posting that status to Facebook, I don't feel sorry for her because she did something stupid.  Is it sad someone died?  Yes, but it's even sadder that her death could have been prevented if she had just been smarter.  It might sounds harsh what I'm saying, but being harsh and stern is the only way to get through to a person sometimes.

A situation where I don't think a victim can be blamed is provoking somebody.  You hear about this all the time with sports fans, or women who dress too provocatively, but situations like that are too random and hard to predict.  And we all have situations like that when that happens, so I don't think we can blame the victim.  It doesn't seem fair, and in the case of women, it sets a double standard.

Of course, in some ways, even I admit to being hypocritical because if something terrible happened to one of my friends or someone I loved, I wouldn't want that.  But I'd like to think they're good people, who make sound decisions, and are smart in how they handle things.  When it comes to things like I see going on in the world, I don't feel sorry for people because they should know better.  Like I said, I may sounds harsh, but I doubt anyone would feel sorry for me, so why should I for them?  Victims have situations where they should be blamed, but that shouldn't always be the case, especially if you don't know the situation.  Know the facts before you pass judgment.

Mercury And Recycling Centers

I'm one of the few people I know (besides my dad), who still listens to the radio frequently.  And I'm not talking about car radios.  Those don't count because they don't use batteries, which my hand radio uses.  I love listening to my radio, but the downside is like light bulbs, the batteries in them can't be thrown away after they're used up because they contain mercury, which can't be thrown away because of how toxic it is.  Sure, you can throw it away, but if it leaks, the substance won't leave your house and can spread all over.  It's pretty nasty.

With all the knowledge I have of the subject, I feel like I know enough, but I wish I had known more as a child, since with how conscious I am, I wonder if any risks have ever occurred?  I also wish that there were more recycling centers, bins, or safety areas where we could dispose of materials because there aren't enough of them around.  They have them at stores like Home Depot, but we need something more convenient, especially if it's for our safety.  A lot of people may say that something like this isn't important, but mercury exists, just like carbon monoxide for our carbon monoxide alarms.  If we have protection for that, why not this?

What A Wedding!

This past weekend, my sister and her fiance (now my brother-in-law) got married.  It was a joyous occasion, where two people celebrated their love for each other, but it was a day I wasn't really looking forward to, to be perfectly honest.  It's not that I have anything against weddings.  I just didn't know what to expect.  My family has been talking about this day for almost a year, so now that it was finally here, things were chaotic.  There were lots of arguments and yelling over finances and plans, we all had to pick out clothes, I had to learn how to use a video-camera last minute, and since I had never been to a wedding before as an adult, I was afraid I would make a mistake; it was so much, that it had me emotionally and physically drained, but when the moment came, I couldn't be happier.  My sister and her fiance's big moment was finally here, and everything went smoothly.  The day was long, but it was a great wedding day!

A few things I took away from my sister's wedding day was how important family truly is.  Everyone obviously know that, but we don't always say it or show it, so seeing it in person really made me appreciate my family for who we are and how much we've grown.  Not just my siblings and I, who have grown up a lot since we were children, but my parents, who have grown up wiser.  I also took away how magnificent churches really are as a structure.  I had never been in one before, since my family is not overly religious.  Everything I had ever seen of a church had just been a picture, but seeing it in person is a different experience because of all the architecture and paintings.  Lastly, I just took away how important love is to me.  I used to believe I'd get married, but now I'm not sure anymore.  I've struggled so much in the area that I don't know what the future holds.  But one thing I do know for sure is, that I still desire love, and it's still one of the most important things I value in life.  People hate weddings because it's so political and institutional, but being at one in person changes you.  On the outside, I may be the same person, but inside, I feel different.  I can't explain it, but I can feel it.    

Who knows what the future holds for me, but that's a story for another day.  For now, I just want to say congrats to my sister, Heather, and her husband Nick.  I'm so happy for you both.  Hopefully, I and others find our special someone someday...

Magic Johnson

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday, eliminating their championship title hopes.  Despite losing, the Clippers and their players should feel proud for how hard they played, and what they had to deal with.  Especially considering what their owner, Donald Sterling has been doing the past few weeks.  Yesterday, he said he wouldn't pay the fine Commissioner Adam Silver told him he had to pay, and a few days ago, he gave his first interview since audio of him making derogatory/racist remarks was leaked.  It was what I expected, considering the reputation Sterling has.  He came off as a deluded, sorry, weak old man, with no remorse for his actions.  What shocked me most, though, was when he went after Magic Johnson.  In case you don't know what Sterling said, here's the clip of it...

I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest Magic Johnson fan because I love the Boston Celtics, he's a terrible color commentator, and he has too much exposure, but I respect him for everything he's done to turn his life around and help others.  Not just for those who have HIV, but the African-American community as well.  Has Magic done some bad things?  Yes!  Being actively promiscuous as he was is a negative thing that should not be praised, but everyone makes mistakes; he deserves a second chance like everyone else in our society.  The HIV Magic has is just one aspect of his life.  It's a negative thing, but he fought it just like everything else in his life.  Donald Sterling wants to attack Magic for the negative, but misses all the positives Magic has done, like being a role model, which he would know about if he did some research or used the billions of dollars he has to educate himself better.  But in the case of Donald Sterling, he's too old, and it's too late for him to change.  Luckily, Magic Johnson did, and it's made all the difference in the world for himself and others.

18

I recently read an interview in Sports Illustrated about Jabari Parker that I found really interesting.  In the interview, he talked about how unfair it was that basketball players had to go to college before going into the NBA, essentially using the old argument, if a player can serve their country at 18, why can't they go into the NBA?  To some degree, I agree with Jabari, since everyone deserves to make a living, and it's unfair that college athletes cannot accept benefits when they make so much money for their schools.  Especially, if some of them are going hungry like Shabazz Napier said they do.  But please, stop using the 18 argument.  I've heard it for so long now, and I'm sick and tired of it.  Going into the NBA at 18 and serving your country are two completely different things.  One, you're doing to earn a living, while the other is to serve your country, which is honorable.  I'm not saying making a living isn't important, but in the case of the NBA, most players who enter straight out of high school have maturation issues, and could benefit from at least a year of college.  I'm not saying I like the NBA age restriction rule, especially since there are a few exception players like Kobe and Lebron, but even they didn't win right away.  And as we all know, they've done some stupid things in their lives.

My issue is with everyone being obsessed with the number 18.  They think it should be the age people drive, drink, vote, etc, but the reason it isn't that way everywhere in all states is because most people aren't responsible enough to handle the responsibility.  You might think they are, but if you look at the way people are sometimes at 18 or even older, it's clear they aren't.  They might not like it, but that's the law, which I think everyone should obey.  Now, time to move on with the issue. 

Donald Sterling Thoughts

With the NBA playoffs being in full swing now, the league should be thriving with ratings and positive publicity since the product has been great so far.  Even a diehard fan such as myself has been surprised with the blowouts, buzzer beaters, clutchness, and overall play of every team from seeds 1-8.  It's a great time to be following the NBA.  That is, until yesterday, when Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling made many racist comments recorded on tape about minorities, how he didn't want them at games, thought of them as animals, etc.  I'm giving the lighter version of it since I can't sum it up with the phone message being so long, and listening to this guy speak is just sickening.

Usually, I wait for all the facts to come out when I judge a person, but I won't this time because Donald Sterling has a history of being a bigot.  Ask former players like Elgin Baylor and Baron Davis who used to play for him what type of person he is, and they'll tell you how they used to get scrutinized.  In the year 2014, I know that racism is alive and it still exists, but I like to think that we've made some progress from the past, when racism was running rampant.  The NBA markets itself as a global game for everyone, and I think they do a good job when you see all the different types of players in their game today.  They've come a long way since then, which is why it's a shame what Donald Sterling said came to public since it makes the league look bad.  Not to mention, his comments make it seem as though he views minorities as animals, saying you can "feed them" or "sleep with them", but not bring them to games.  What an ignoramus if that is how he truly feels!  We're all human beings!  And even though the Clippers players are all mixed in terms of race and ethnicity, I'm glad they're all outraged because it shows how strongly they feel, and shows that racism has no place in sports.  It might be a few days until we figure out what the penalty is for Donald Sterling, but hopefully the penalty is severe, or as another Donald says, "YOU'RE FIRED"!

One last thing I want to interject (which is my own opinion) is everyone disses baseball for there being a lack of African-American players, but you never see stuff like what happened with Donald Sterling happen in baseball.  I'm not denying it doesn't happen; I mean, look at Marge Schott or how often the race card was played whenever Barry Bonds was questioned.  It exists, but I feel like the culture in baseball doesn't promote as much discrimination currently.  Look at the NBA and NFL, the race card is played all the time, they say the N-word like it's nothing, and there's gang affiliations.  I'm not saying having those things makes sports worse because I still love those sports, but I think when a sport has all those things, we shouldn't be surprised of anything anymore.  Racism shouldn't have a place in sports, but Donald Sterling isn't the only one who feels the way he does.  And sadly, it still exists in the world, which I don't think will ever change. 

South Korean Ferry Disaster

About a week ago, I came home feeling excited that I had a long weekend ahead of me.  There was still homework I had to do, but I was looking forward to taking my dad out for dinner, seeing some old friends, playing cards, ordering food, and just getting some time to relax before ending the school year.  I felt positive about everything, until my siblings told me about a ferry accident in South Korea.  I hadn't heard much about it, so I didn't pay much attention to it at first, but after my sister told me a few details about the accident, I researched what happened, and was sad to learn the details of what happened.  Or what they say happened.

I won't summarize the details, since it's not my place to tell what happened when there are still so many unknown facts.  And out of respect to all the victims lost, and those who are still out there somewhere.  It's always sad whenever an accident happens, but when it happens to innocent people or because of neglect, that's when it is a shame and tragic because it could have been prevented if things were done a little differently.  Then again, it shouldn't have even happened.  Those kids were out there because they were on a field trip; it wasn't supposed to turn into what it did.

A few people have been harsh and rude about the accident because it's Korea, and they believe it's evil because of North Korea, but those people are wrong to generalize everything.  North Korea is different from South Korea, and when it comes to accidents like this, it doesn't matter where it happened, just that it occurred, and that we as people should care.  It doesn't directly affect us, but we all know what it's like to go through something tragic/traumatic, so let's pray for all those innocent people hurt during this ordeal, and hope that there is some light at the end of the tunnel. 

Choosing A Side

Today, I had my first ever debate in school, which seems hard to believe considering how long I've been in school, and how the media portrays debates as frequent, but it's true.  I was very nervous for it because the subject was about children and IPV, along with the fact that I wasn't sure if I had done enough research on the material, but once the debate started, things calmed down.  I didn't talk as much as I would have liked because the questions I focused on weren't asked, but I still gave my two cents about something, which gave me credit for showing up in the first place. 

One thing I realized from my debate was that if you had the easier side, the debate was better for you, since I noticed that the other team was confused with their answers and questions.  I felt bad for them since they all didn't choose the side they were on, but I was happy my side won.  And I can tell you, the previous week, my team and I were busy keeping in contact and doing research.  A debate is harder than it seems though.  You think you're just going to talk, but you need to answer the question, be direct, and have sources when necessary, which is a lot of pressure to have on a person.  If I had to do it over again, I think I could do it better; I just wish debates didn't always have to be political and stick to one side, when it seems most of the time, people are split down the middle on an issue.  But, that's just the way life is for the things we care about.

So all in all, I probably focused on the debate for my class more than I should have, but better to be prepared than not at all.  And in the end, it paid off choosing my side.

One Year Ago...

A year ago today, one of the most unforgettable moments in my life happened when the Boston Marathon bombings went off.  In one aspect, I can't believe it's already been a year since then (when the memory still seems so vivid), but at the same time, I'm not surprised because as people, we have the ability to put the past behind us.  What I remember vividly from that day was that I was in Amherst, visiting my high school friends at UMASS for the weekend.  It was a great time, but because we had been traveling and going out every night, the last day, we all decided to stay in and relax.  That's when I got the first text from my sister, telling me what had happened.  I'll be honest, that I didn't take what she said seriously because I was half asleep, and thought it was just a joke; I mean, the marathon is usually so guarded, I didn't think anyone could ever set off a bomb, but within' minutes, the news and social media exploded, confirming that what had happened was real and serious.

After realizing what had happened, I called my dad because he was at the marathon scene with one of our friends, but luckily, he wasn't hurt.  After that, I did the only thing I could do, and watched the news, trying to figure out what really happened.  News was slowly coming, so I had to act like it was a normal day, when it was far from it.  My friends and I ate dinner that night, and I took the bus back through Boston the next day, but things were so different afterward; I could tell.  The city was silent, extra police were everywhere, and people didn't look happy.  Our city was hurt.

Within' the next few days, we found out major news that helped solve the case.  Footage from the cameras caught something, two boys were spotted leaving the scenes without bags, and from there, one of the biggest manhunts in Boston history happened.  I remember trying to go to the bank that day to open a bank account, but once city officials were sure the bombers were in the area, the whole city was closed for hours.  The hunt took over half the day, and left a few people dead unfortunately, but Boston police did their job and caught the bomber.

I won't go into detail about all the rest because you can find that information anywhere, and I'm not the most equipped to talk about it, but now that a year has past, I'm so glad that our city has found a way to recover a little.  We'll never be able to forget what happened, and unfortunately, we'll never be able to help those that were hurt/killed, but we can do what we can as a city to stand together.  I know the bomber will get his justice, but I just hate the fact a few people caused it when it hurt so many people.  Something like that seems to major, so the fact a few idiots did it is asinine.  If it was up to me, he'd get the death penalty, but that's another post for another day.  The important thing is that what happened last year is in the past, and now it's time to move forward and make positive memories.  I'm so proud of how we, as a city, have come.

Boston Strong!

Malaysian Plane Disappearance

Because I didn't have internet the past few weeks (and still don't, I believe), I was a week late learning about the Malaysian Plane disappearance.  I know something like this gets tons of news coverage, and because of the magnitude of the story, it's something that's going to be talked about, but I didn't hear about it at all prior to my spring break.  It's shocking, but I guess that's what happens when you're an introvert with no internet.  It's scary life is so difficult without connection to the internet and outside world, but that's the age we live in.  But I digress.  Now that I've had a few weeks to learn about the case, I have a few thoughts, like everyone, on the situation.

• Like many, I hope all the passengers on board are safe, or at least found.  There's always dim hope for this as the time of disappearance increases, especially on something like an aircraft, where survival is very low.  But you have to be hopeful at these times; it's probably the only things the passengers have.
• Whenever something like this happens, it seems customary that we attach the "terrorism" label to it.  Now, perhaps I should do it since it's something that happened over outside the U.S., but until I know more, I don't want to label the situation.  Although, it obviously isn't good.
• I find it ironic that people who don't ever follow politics are so interested in this situation.  I understand why, but it'd be nice if they cared about their country as much.
• I like the fact the U.S. has decided to help out with the search a little.  They're a major superpower, with influence.  And as we've seen throughout history, whenever the U.S decides to help or not is always a big deal.
• Lastly, I hope things work out like everyone.  Until then, all we can do is wait and watch for the news.

Coca-Cola Commercial Controversy

In my Sociology class, we talk about people for the most part, but on Tuesday, we broke the norm when we talked about the Super Bowl.  I honestly had no idea why we were wasting time on it because the game was disappointingly a blowout, but we focused on something other than football.  We focused on the commercials, two in particular.  One was the GoldieBlox commercial about girls being able to play what they want, which I thought was awesome being a Gender Studies minor.  The other one though, was the "America The Beautiful" Coca-Cola commercial.  I wasn't surprised by its content since Coca-Cola always has interesting commercials, like their Simpsons one, but I was more surprised that it was receiving controversy for the reasons it was.

One of the obvious reasons the commercial was receiving controversy was because it had a homosexual couple in it with their daughter.  I can understand the shock seeing it since we aren't used to seeing homosexuals in commercials, but it isn't a big deal.  Homosexuals are people just like everyone else, and they just want to be accepted.  No matter what your beliefs are, I think you have to at least respect that.  The other reason it was controversial, which I didn't understand, was because it had different people singing "America The Beautiful" in different languages.  It was a beautiful and patriotic thing, but a lot of people didn't like it because they think we only speak English in this country, or they believe it's hypocritical.  I think disliking the commercial for the first reason I stated is ignorant since English isn't the official language of this country, and there are lots of different people who live in our country.  But I understand the thinking that it's hypocritical.  The commercial paints America as something idyllic, yet we all know it isn't like that.  There's still racism, and the very homosexuals in that commercial can't even get married in most states, which is a shame.  Not to mention, Coca-Cola is the one that made the commercial, so while it's great and sends a message, we all know they just want to sell soda.  I understand being angry, but at the end of the day, it's just a commercial.  There are more important things in life than that, so let's just enjoy it for how beautiful it is.

The Coca-Cola commercial.  Do you think it's controversial?  You be the judge...

Olympic Sham

The Olympics opening ceremony was a few hours ago, and from what I was told, it was a spectacle to behold.  It was civil, patriotic, Boston was represented well, and so far, nothing terror related has happened (to my knowledge).  It's good to see sports of any kind getting attention, but in all honesty, as much as I love sports, I don't care about the Olympics!  Does that make me a bad person?  Many would say yes, but I don't think it's a bad thing.  Let me explain.

On the surface, I understand what the Olympics are.  They're a sporting event where the best athletes in the world compete against each other for medals, and for the honor of their country.  That to me, is noble. But lost in that, is all the negative stuff that gets swept under the rug; the controversies, the bad sportsmanship, etc.  Although, this year, it's been no secret how Russia has handled the Olympics.  They've taken controversial stances on homosexuals, killed stray dogs, and even given opposing athletes/people terrible living conditions.  And yet, people still care?  They still watch?  I understand watching if you love sports and competition of any kind, but as I learned in my Psychology and Women class, sometimes when you want to make a statement, you need to boycott something, which I've done with the Olympics practically my whole life.  Maybe it's wrong and unpatriotic, but at least it's honest, which matters to me.  There are people I know who watch the Olympics, but I feel like they're not being truthful because they don't follow any of these sports fully, play them, or know who any of the athletes are.  They're just "pink hat" fans or people who jump on the bandwagon. To truly care or be passionate about something, I think you need to show that and a lot of dedication to it, which many don't do when it comes to the Olympics.  They just watch, without ever really putting much thought into it, which is a shame because if they did, they might appreciate it more for what it is.

So that's how I feel about these Winter Games.  They may be a great spectacle, but I'll be watching the Sacramento Kings take on the Boston Celtics because that's something I truly know and care about.

Richard Sherman

The rant seen around the world

It's almost been a week since Richard Sherman, the CB for the Seattle Seahawks, made his now famous rant insulting and taunting WR Michael Crabtree.  When it happened, media and news outlets went crazy reporting the story, and it became a hot topic for discussion the whole week.  At first, Sherman didn't regret anything he said, but after a day or two taking a beating from the media, as well as other players, he changed his mind and apologized.  And while I wish I could believe he meant it, deep down, I know he didn't since that emotion he showed is the type of person he really is.  I know this story is old now, and he's moved on, but I can't let it pass without giving my two cents.

From what I heard and read from people, it seems like a majority of people feel two ways.  They either love Richard Sherman for being emotional and truthful (not giving cliche interviews), or they hate him for disrespecting his opponents and putting himself first.  I understand both sides of the argument, but I like Sherman more than I dislike him.  Yes, he can be disrespectful and pompous at times, but that seems related to football mostly, where many players do the same.  Plus, he's one of the few players at his position who can back up his talk.  Also, he was interviewed right after making one of the best plays of his life.  Obviously, he's going to be emotional, especially with the amount of trash talk he and Crabtree had.  Everyone is mad because of what he said, and while I understand why, at least he said something.  It might not be great sportsmanship, but at least he said something compared to players who don't shake hands or walk off the court/field like Isiah Thomas did many times.  I think something like this is all based on perspective.  It's bad, but when you compare it to others postgame rants, it's not that bad and basically a non-story.

One thing that bothers me though, is what Richard Sherman said about the word "thug".  No one likes getting called it, just like any other negative word, but I don't agree with him when he says it's a substitute for the N-word.  As I learned from ESPN and other reports, the N-word is still quite alive in everyday culture, especially in locker rooms.  It's sad, but it isn't my place to judge; I don't know all the facts.  He things being called a "thug" is a race issue, but it isn't.  If any player did what he did, they'd be called a thug just as much, if not more.  Sherman was called a "thug" because he is a bully and doesn't respect a lot of people besides those on his team.  It has nothing to do with race; it has everything to do with attitude and how you treat others.  I might like him, but I wish he wasn't so egotistical all the time.

So that's my two cents on the issue that wasn't really an issue.  To think, all of this could have been avoided if Richard Sherman was a little more quiet, but you can't change what happens.  You can only accept it and move on, which everyone is going to do.  I have no idea who will win the Super Bowl, but if I can, I'll be watching to see what happens next.

Vegan and Vegetarianism

Tomorrow, I have a doctor's appointment for a blood pressure check, which shouldn't be a big deal, but for me, it always is.  Having a history of high blood pressure that runs in the family, and being so stressed about everything always puts my health at risk.  Eating lots of food used to add to that, but I changed my diet around the past 2 years to help alleviate the problem.  Unfortunately, with holidays and break, I definitely ate more than I should off, which probably caused my weight to go up.  With health on my mind, lately, I've been contemplating a huge decision, which is if I should become a vegan or vegetarian?

Now, don't get me wrong, I like meat as much as the next person (and don't even like that many vegetables besides soft ones), but when it comes to your health, you have to do what's best.  And research statistics have shown cutting meat can add years to your life.  I'm not an expert of the subject by any means, since I didn't know there was even a difference between being a vegan or vegetarian, but I have friends who are/were vegetarians.  Those who have stuck with it are strong and seem happy, but those who go back to meat can't imagine living without it, and wonder how they did it for so long.  I don't know if it's something I could do, but I think it's something to definitely consider.

In the end, here's hoping to a good blood pressure check tomorrow.  I may be stressed a bit, like I always am, but I feel content with where I am in life.

Comments

Being a independent blogger, I'm grateful for any support my blog gets, whether it's views or comments.  I get more views than comments, which some perceive as a negative thing, but I don't think that's the case.  Views are just as important as comments to me, especially when you consider how little time people have nowadays.  Comments though, are not as great as they seem.  It's great to interact with fans/viewers whenever it comes to something you mutually like, or your own work, but there's a time when comments are too much, such as when they're blindly positive or too negative.  Take for example, what I see on YouTube daily.  It has a comment section that is open to anybody, but people misuse it all the time.  They'll say something is really awesome, but won't change their minds even when someone has facts that prove they're wrong.  Another example is when people's comments get out of hand, and they're too negative about a subject, starting a long argument.  I find the latter worse than the first, but just the fact that comments affect people this way makes me question what's the point for them.  Yes, we have freedom of speech, but even that has a limit.  And with no one to actively supervise what's online, are people responsible enough with their opinions?

I think they can be, but it's clear not everyone is that way...

Delivery Men At Your Service

They say "There's no such thing as a terrible job, just a job done terribly" (or something like that).  Even though I've never worked before, it's a saying I wholeheartedly agree with since getting a job of any kind and doing it well is difficult.  That's why I've never understood why people hate delivery men so much (I know there are delivery women in the world, but since I've never met or seen one, for the context of this post, I'll just talk about men).  Yes, some of them can have bad moods, but think about where things from their position.  They deliver things for a living, have to take orders from higher up, their jobs aren't guaranteed, and they work long hours with sometimes long commutes.  I'm not saying other jobs don't have these things, but delivery men are around in the world all the time, whether they're delivering packages or a pizza. 

This is on my mind because yesterday, my family tried having furniture delivered for the 2nd time, but like the 1st time, one piece got scratched.  It's not the deliverer's fault since they just picked the furniture up from the warehouse and delivered it, but most people would blame them, when I really think they they should back off.  Delivery men aren't perfect, but some of them (like those I met yesterday) are nice guys, just trying to do their jobs.  We wouldn't want to be constantly judged, so I think people should ease off on their treatment of these guys, especially since they're here to help/serve us.

Shoveling Snow

Living on the East coast (or any place that gets snow), it's pretty common to see people shoveling this time of year.  It's a pain to do, but unless you have a snow-blower or plows magically learn to fit on sidewalks, it's the only thing you can do to clear snow.  Usually after every storm, I help out shoveling, but since I couldn't this time, I watched as all the inches of snow accumulated.  That was bad enough on its own, but add the snow to all the ice that was on the ground from the previous week, and you had terrible travel for drivers and commuters like myself. 

When I went to school this morning, I feared the worst, but was pleasantly surprised to see it wasn't that bad outside.  The temperature wasn't that cold and some of the snow was melting already, which gave me high hopes.  But my hopes quickly disintegrated when I saw some of the sidewalks I had to walk through were piled high with snow.  I couldn't believe it!  I wanted to go around the snow somehow, but since I couldn't, I took the plunge and just walked right onto it, with my jeans and shoes getting soaked from the ordeal.  Eventually, I got through all the walkways of snow and reached school, but my walk to school took an extra 15 minutes and I nearly slipped a few times.

Looking back on my morning now that a few hours have passed, I suppose it wasn't that bad.  I got some studying done, returned my rented books, got some candy, and even found an alternative, albeit more dangerous route back to my place, which avoided most of the snow.  But I cannot get over the fact that people did not shovel their walkways.  It's been a little over a day now since it stopped snowing!  Are you telling me that you couldn't find the time to make it a little clearer?  Or put some ice salt down or something?  I understand being a little lazy, but when your laziness has the potential to hurt or inconvenience someone, that's when I think it's wrong.  You live in Massachusetts.  You know the drill with snow.  I swear, they should make a law fining people for not shoveling, unless they have a good reason.  It's ridiculous that it's this tough to get around!

With more snow on the way tomorrow, hopefully it isn't worst, or else I'm going to have another tough day getting around, which I certainly don't want as finals end tomorrow.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Now entering his 8th season in the NBA, LaMarcus Aldridge is finally getting the recognition he deserves

The NBA All-Star game isn't for another few months, but that hasn't stopped the league from releasing the voting leaders in each conference.  In the East, LeBron James leads the Eastern Conference in votes, while Kevin Durant leads the Western Conference.  No surprise considering they're both the best and most popular players in the game arguably/currently.  What's surprising though, is that LaMarcus Aldridge, one of the top players in the NBA this year (and quietly over the past few years) is 8th in voting and 3rd in the power forward race behind Kevin Love and Blake Griffin.  I can understand why that is since they're both accomplished, and talented, but so is L-Marc.  And it's time the league recognize he is one of the best power forwards in the game.

The first time I was exposed to LaMarcus Aldridge was when he played for Texas back in college.  That was such a long time ago, but I remember those as better times since I was in love with college basketball back then.  Since I live in Boston, which isn't a huge college basketball town, it was hard to follow L-Marc, but whenever he was on TV or playing in the tournament, I watched with envy, wishing the Boston Celtics would draft him (or anyone that could make them better).  He ended up being drafted by the Chicago Bulls, which drew criticism because he was taken so high,  and was then traded to the Portland Trailblazers for basically nothing.  It took a few years for L-Marc to develop his game since he was so lean and just had a few moves, but after a few years, his hard work showed.  His jump shot improved, his post moves got better, and he got bigger.  His defense and rebounding were always his weakest attributes, but even they improved by his 5th year.  Now in his 8th year, it's safe to say he is entering his prime, as he has lead the Trailblazers to the best record in the West.  It's premature to think they can stay there all year, but just the fact they've surprised this many people shows how many people doubted them.

With L-Marc's play this year being this spectacular (30-20 stat-lines some nights), I'm annoyed that even though he has more recognition than usual, he's still behind people like Kevin Love and Blake Griffin in all-star votes.  Kevin Love, I will give you, is a better player, but Blake Griffin is not.  Even though he is having his best statistical year (finally), all he does is dunk.  He has not carried his team like L-Marc has.  Yes, L-Marc has Damian Lillard, but Blake has CP3, who last I checked, was the best point guard in the game.  I know that the all-star spots are up to the fans, and they should be allowed to vote for who they want to see, but I wish they would reward someone who works their tail off, plays in a small market, and is a humble/quiet superstar, who leads by example.  L-Marc will probably be a reserve, which is a great honor in itself, but if he started, he would be on prime time, and people would finally start giving the Trailblazers the recognition and respect they deserve.

I know I'm one voice, and I can't make up the thousands of votes that others have in front of him, but let's acknowledge and throw our support to LaMarcus Aldridge, one of the best and most underrated power forwards in the game today, who plays not only fundamental basketball, but most importantly, team basketball.  The Trailblazers may be a long-shot to win the NBA title, but if they do, LaMarcus Aldridge will be one of the reasons why.

Downloading Music

Yesterday, I made an iTunes account for the first time ever (late, I know) because I wanted to download some K-Pop music I've been listening to.  It surprised me how much I wanted the music since usually I just ask my brother to help me or wait, but what surprised me even more was how complicated it was making an iTunes account.  There was so much information I had to put in, as well as other security features, which I was not prepared for.  But all things are like this now for protection, which I appreciate.

With that being the case, that brings me the issue of downloading music.  Everyone knows piracy is such a huge issue because it is easy to do and difficult to enforce.  But I do not think people should do it, whether for music, movies, or anything.  Yes, I know it saves money, and companies have boatloads of it, but think of all the musicians you listen to.  Some of them are struggling and need the sales to earn a living.  And for ones who do make a profit, depending on a contract, they may not even receive much money.  This reasoning is the way K-Pop fans feel because they truly love and want to help the musicians they listen to.  Some may think this is silly, but I don't think it's silly to obey the law and help support the musicians who bring happiness into our lives with the music they create.   

Downloading anything is a yes or no thought process, but know that it's more than that, and we, as individuals, have the choice to make a difference.

Resume's

Resume's are something that confuse me.  Maybe it's because I've never worked before, or maybe it's because they have so many rules to them, but regardless, something about it irks me.  Yesterday, I went to the Career Services Office at my school and met with a career counselor to talk about my future.  Besides writing, I didn't know what else I wanted to do with my life, so we tried working on different resume's to see how it would look for someone like me with no experience.  To me, the process seemed impossible based on what I had heard, and the people I knew with amazing resume's, but the person I met with was amazing, and really helped me.  Thanks Dana!  Even though I don't know when I'll start my resume, or if I'll be by again any time soon, it's nice to know my situation isn't hopeless.

The thing that irks me though is that resume's decide so much of a person's future.  I understand why companies base so much off of it since it lists accomplishments, and tells a lot about a person in a limited amount of space, but it seems so contradictory for companies to do.  They want to hire someone who represents the company well, but how can a piece of paper tell anything about me?  If social media isn't accurate, it seems ridiculous to me that a piece of paper is worth so much, but I guess that's why I've never worked.  I know eventually I'll have to someday, but it seems to wrong to me that's the way things are.  

Do you guys have any resume tips for a novice like myself?